


Don’t Say Goodbye

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Denial, Fantasy, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Nonnies Made Me Do It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 19:57:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20215408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: Nixie refuses to believe that her mother is dying.





	Don’t Say Goodbye

Nixie fell to her knees beside her fallen mother, assessing the damage. “It’s not that bad, Mummy,” she said, pressing her hand to her mother’s stomach wound.

Her mother, face pale and sweaty, grunted. “Don’t lie to me, Nix.” It was meant to be an order, but her voice sounded the same as when she got strangled a month ago. “I know it’s fatal.”

“No, no, no.” Nixie shook her head, then stopped when it felt like her head was going to fall off. “You’re not going to die, Mummy.”

“You must make your way to Erlanda on your own,” her mother said, gasping for breath. “I know you can do it. Here, take the sword.” With a trembling hand, she picked up the obsidian blade that lay in the grass and held it out to Nixie.

But Nixie couldn’t take it. Taking the sword meant giving up, and her mother was not going to die, even if she had a big, bleeding hole in her belly.

“No!” she screamed, and her mother flinched. “I won’t go. Not without you.”

The blade fell to the ground, and Nixie’s mother grabbed her hand. “Look at me,” her mother whispered, “and listen. We have 24 hours to take the sword to Erlanda. Even if I survive this, I won’t get there in time. But on your own, with your invisibility cap, you’ll be fast. You can make it.”

They had been on this quest for months, and Nixie had not cried once, something she was very proud of. Her mother had said she was proud too. But now the tears came.

“I don’t want to go,” she sobbed. “I need you.”

Her mother stroked her cheek. “Nixie, my beautiful girl, our time is up. Take the sword and go. Erlanda awaits you.”

Sniffling, Nixie removed her hand from where it was pressed against her mother’s wound, and threw her arms around her mother, holding on for dear life. She could feel her mother shaking. Her mother kissed her cheek, then pressed another, firmer kiss to her forehead.

“Goodbye, my love. Maréa be with you.”

Nixie wiped at her face where her mother had kissed her. “Don’t say that, Mummy. This isn’t goodbye.”

Her mother gazed at her with a soft smile. Nixie felt surrounded by her mother’s love, which had kept her safe for nine whole years of life.

It took Nixie a long time to realise her mother had not blinked for many seconds. Biting her lip to stop it from trembling, she reached out and closed her mother’s eyelids. Shaking, Nixie put her bloodied hand to her heart and asked Maréa to watch over her mother.

Then she picked up the obsidian sword and put on her invisibility cap. It was time to get back on the path to Erlanda.


End file.
